Ice-machine.



H. D. POWNALL.

ICE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ROY. 15, 1909.

Patented May 31, 1910.

2 SHEETB-BHEET l.

H. D. POWNALL.

10E MACHINE. Y APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1909.

Patented May 31, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

aliases.

ICE-MACHINE.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Applicationfiled November 15, 1909. Serial'No. 528,047. I

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, Hnxnr D. POWNALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State 'of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice-Machines,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ice machines.

One of its objects is to provide I an improved brlne tank and can supporting meansmeans in the constructionof the top of the brine tank and its supports, and the partitions in the brine tank, whereby a uniform rate of circulation can be maintained in the various parts of the brine tank, and the top adjusted.

It further consists in certain details of form, combination and arrangement, all of which will be more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan diagram of my improved brine tank, circulating and cooling apparatus with the ice can lids omitted. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the same on line a: m of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the same on line '0 'v of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustratin a modification. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a section of thetop frame. Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal sectional view of. a vertical joint in the partition plate.

In the accompanying drawings A repre-' sents a brine tankof an ice machine adapted to receive aiser'ies of cans (1 containing fresh water for thepurpose of making ice, Inits preferred form the tank A is provided with a partition B forming a compartment 1) at' one endof the tank, in which compartment is preferably mounted a receptacle 1) havm a series of tubes or flues (1 through whic the brine from the brine tank israpidly circulated by means of propeller blades d, thereceptaclel) being nearly full of liquefied Y in: and the gas or vapor products arising therefrom being removed, preferably by a compressor as soon as formed, through the off-take pipe d Liquefied gas is supplied to the receptacle D through the inlet pipe d E represents a liquid gage to indicate the height of the liquefied gas in the receptacleD.

F represents a series of partitions dividing that portion of the brine tank in which the cans are located soas tocausethe brine to flow through a loop shaped channel or course from one end of the compartment 1) to the opposite end thereof one or more times and thence through the tubes of the cooling receptacle D. The partition B is preferably perforated at opposite ends to to circulate lar e volumes of brine with considerable rapidity and in such manner as to secure a uniform rate of flow at the surfaces of the respective cans. In attaining these results the cans op ose a considerable resistance to the flow'of brine, and hence the level of the brine is greater in some portions of the tank than in others. It is therefore desired to provide means to adjust and support the cans against the action of the brine current, and in different portions of the tank at different levels, -dependin upon the height of the brine; to provi e tight partitions to prevent a short circuiting' of the brine current; to locate the partition equidistant from the can rows at opposite sides of the brine tank so that the same may be ad usted to the desired height above the brine, and maintained an true level irrespective of inequalities in surface at the the inequalities of-the bottom .of the tank thereof, and to adjustably. support the top are-made tight by means of boards or like material f carefully trimmed to fit and bolted to the partition plates. The sills through which bolts pass, and may be tightenedio clamp the sills upon the partition plates after said sills have been adjusted to the desired height. Vertical jomts in the partition plates are formed by butting the edges and clamping by means of a piece of wood f on one side, and a metal plate f upon the opposite side as indicated in Fig. 6. lVhen thus arranged the partition plates are readily made with tight joints, and are.

located midway between the rows of cans to secure a uniform rate in the flow of brine, between the partition and cans at each side thereof and a consequent uniform freezing in the cans. The sills G intermediate of the I, partitions may be adjustably'supported upon rods or sections of pipe-H, which at their lower ends are seated in socket plates k seated on the bottom of the tank A. The upper ends of the rods H being threaded and seated in recesses in the under side of the sills G. to support and adjust the sills G to the desired height, and in connection with the adjustment of the sills G upon thepartition plates to seBure and maintain the top of the tank at a uniform height or level. I prefer, however, to support the sills G G by means of short cross sills G which are recessed'into the'under sides of sills'G G and are in turn supported from the bottom of the tank by pipe sections H, as before described. The rods or pipes H beneath the sills G serve to support the cans in a vertical position agalnst the action of the brine current. S1milar rods H may be employed in addition under the sills G, but I prefer to employ rods G projecting downwardly from the 3111s G G about half way to the bottom of the tank to support the cans at the sides. When sosupported the cans are preferably permitted to float in the brine and to automatically 'accommodate themselves to the level of the brine in different portions of the tank as indicated in Fig. 3 being maintamed by said supports in a vertical position, or prevented from tipping in any direction, and yet free to rise and fall or accommodate themselves to the brine level. The upper edges of the sillsG G may be recessed at g to receive and support the edges of the'can lids K.

Inthe modification Fig. 4 the cans are shown supported at varying heights by means of StIlPS m secured to opposite .sides of the sills G G, which strips engage and support the enlarged rims at the top of the cans.

The structure herein illustrated and de- Nuts 71. and washers it serve- Having described my invention, what I.

claim isf 1. In combination with the brine tank of an ice machine, a vertical partition plate secured to the bottom of the tank, a member forming a close joint between the tankand said partition plate, and a sill recessed on its under side to receive the u per edge of said partition plate, said sill being adjustable relative to said plate.

2. In combination with an ice machine brine tank a vertical partition plate, secured to the bottom of said tank, and an adjustable sill recessed on its under side to receive the upper edge of said partitionplate.

3. In combination with an ice machine brine tank a vertical partition plate secured to the bottom of said tank, a member clamped in position to form a close joint between said partition plate and tank, a sill recessed on its under side to receive the upper edge of said partition plate, and means to adjust said sill relative to said plate.

4. In combination with an ice machine brine tank a vertical partition dividing said tank into a loop ,sha ed circulating channel,

a brine cooling mem er included in said circulating channel, brine circulating mechanism, and a top for said brine tank comprising a series of sills adjustably supported relative to said tank, and a series of can lids supported upon said sills.

5. In combination with an ice machine brine tank, a vertical partition dividing said tank into a loop shaped circulating channel, brine circulating mechanism, a series'of sills adjustably supported above said tank at intervals apart depending upon the dimensions of the ice cans, said sills being, adapted to support a series of can lids. 6. In combination with an ice machine brine tank a brine cooling member immersed in the brine in said tank, a'partition dividing said cooling member from the portion of the tank in which the cans are located, a partition in the portion of the tank in which the cans are located dividing the tank into a loop shaped circulating channel, a brine circulating member, a series of cans arranged in said circulating channel with uniform passages between said cans and between said cans and the partition and tank walls, whereby the brine is caused to flow at a uniform rate in all parts of the portion of the tank in which the cans are located. 7 In an ice machine, a brine tank, a. partition dividing said tank into a loop shaped circulating channel, a brine circulating member, a brine cooling member included in said circulating channel, a series ofsills adjustably supported above said tank means of b supports resting on the bottom of said tank, 1 0

nel, and lateral supports to support said cans included in the path of circulation, a brine a series of ice cans arran ed in the brine in said circulating channe at progressively lower levels in the direction of the brine current.

8. In an ice machine a brine tank, a partition dividing said tank into a loop shaped circulating channel, a brine circulating member, a brine cooling member included in said circulating channel, a series of sills adjustably supported above said tank, a series of ice cans adapted to be nearly submerged and floating in the brine in said circulating chanin vertical position within sald tank. 9. In an we machine, a brine tank a series cessed on their under side to receive the upper ed es of said partition plates.

10. 11 an ice machine a brine tank, divided by a partition into a 100 shaped circulating channel, a brine coo ing member circulating member, a top for said tank composed of sills and cross sills forming openings for the introduction of the ice cans, said top being adjustably supported relative to the tank by means of supports projecting l from'the bottom of the tank to said top, a series of ice cans ada ted to be nearly submerged and floating 1n brine, .said supports for the top of the tank serving as lateral supports for said cans to hold the cans in a vertical position and permit them to adjust themselves vertically to correspond with variations in the height of the brine at dlfli'er- .ent points in the circulatin channel.

11. In an ice machine, a rine tank, a partion dividing said tank into a loop sha ed circulating channel, a brine cooling mem er included 1n the path of circulation, a brine circulatingv member, a series of ice cans adapted to float in a nearly submerged condition in the brine of said circulating channel,

HENRY D. POWNALL.

Witnesses:

WALTER F. MURRAY, C. W. MILES. 

